Sealed bag for liquids

ABSTRACT

A sealed bag for containing liquids. Typically made by a blowmolding process from a tube of molten thermoplastic resin. The bag comprises a tubular body of flexible plastic, sealed at one end, and narrowing to an integral tubular neck portion at the other end. A head portion, integral with the neck portion, seals the bag. A tubular recess is formed, typically in the head portion of the bag, for receiving a needle or the like for puncturing the bag to obtain the liquid contents. Generally, the cross section of the bag is oval, and a hanger at one end of the bag is attached thereto at a single station to facilitate collapse of the bag as liquid is withdrawn.

United States Patent [45] Patented 3,356,244 12/1967 Witchell [72]Inventors David Bellamy, Jr.

Kenllwonh: Philip Gregory Ralston, Villa Park, both of III [21] Appl.No. 807,759

[22] Filed Mar. 17, 1969 June 29, 1971 Baxter Laboratories, Inc.

[73] Assignee Morton Grove, Ill.

I 54 SEALED 1m; FOR LIQUIDS Primary Examiner-Donald F. NortonAtlorneys-Walter C, Kehm and W. Garrettson Ellis ABSTRACT: A sealed bagfor containing liquids. Typically made by a blow-molding process from atube of molten thermoplastic resin. The bag comprises a tubular body offlexible plastic, sealed at one end, and narrowing to an integraltubular neck portion at the other end. A head portion, integral with theneck portion, seals the bag. A tubular recess is formed, typically inthe head portion of the bag, for receiving a needle or the like forpuncturing the bag to obtain the liquid contents. Generally, the crosssection of the bag is oval, and a hanger at one end of the bag isattached thereto at a single station to facilitate collapse of the bagas liquid is withdrawn.

PATENTH] JUN29I9Y1 3,589,422

Philip Gregory Rolston ByW SEALED BAG FOR LIQUIDS BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION Sealed, plastic containers for liquids can be fabricated,filled, and heat sealed to enclose the liquid contents in an integrallysealed bottle or bag so that the bag can'be opened only by rupturing theplastic wall of the container. The container is typically made byextruding a molten tube or parison of thermoplastic resin into a mold,and inflating the parison with air to form a container sealed by actionof the mold at one end. While maintaining the container in inflatedcondition, a precisely metered quantity of the liquid contents areplaced in the container, causing those portions thereof in contact withthe liquid to solidify. An open, unsealed end of the container above theliquid level remains in the molten condition after insertion of theliquid. A second mold is then closed about the open, unsealed end toform a sealed neck and head portion of the container which is integralwith the main tubular body thereof. The finished product is thus aliquid-containing plastic bag or bottle which encloses its liquidcontents in sealed plastic.

It is desirable to use such plastic containers for the storage anddistribution of parenteral solutions, blood and other sterile productswhich are typically administered in measured amounts, particularly sincesterility of the liquid contents can be assured until the plastic isruptured, and also because the plastic container is inexpensive and canbe thrown away after use.

It is further desirable to enclose liquids such as parenteral solutions,blood plasma, or blood in a collapsible plastic container so that, asthe liquid is removed from the container, the container collapses. Ahigher degree of sterility of the liquid can be maintained in thismanner, since air, which usually carries contaminants, does not have tobe vented into the container to facilitate removal of the liquid.

A problem, however, exists in the design of the means for gaining accessto the plastic container to remove the liquid. To do this, the plasticwall of the container must be ruptured in a controlled manner whileassuring continued sterility. The invention of this application providesa convenient means of access to sealed plastic bags, by which sterilitycan be maintained while withdrawing the liquid contents. Furthermore,the plastic bag of this invention exhibits improved collapsibility,permitting the liquid contents to be readily removed from the bagwithout the need for venting.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention of this application relates to acollapsible bag containing a liquid and having a tubular body offlexible plastic. The tubular body is closed and sealed at one end, andnarrows to an integral tubular neck portion at the other end. A headportion made of the same plastic is integral with the neck portion andseals the bag. Additionally, the bag has at least one tubular recesslocated at one end thereof, and typically located in the head portion,for receiving a puncturing needle or the like for puncturing the bag toobtain the liquid contents. The recess is defined by a tubular sidewalland a bottom wall, the bottom wall serving as a puncturable membranethrough which the needle penetrates to gain access to the liquidcontents. Generally, the recess contains a plastic sleeve which servesas a guide for the needle.

Additionally, the tubular body of the bag of thisinvention hassufficiently thin walls so that the tubular body lies in a generallyflat, limp condition when it is not supported by the liquid which itcontains. To facilitate collapse of the tubular body as liquid iswithdrawn, the bag is generally constructed to have oval cross sectionwhen held in expanded position by its liquid contents. Additionally, ahanger means is attached to one end of the body at a single station orpoint of attachment by means of a narrow connecting neck.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view, partly in section, ofa typical plastic bag of this invention, shown to be filled with aliquid parenteral solution or the like.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the bag of FIG. 1, taken along line 2-2.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of part of the bag of FIG. 1, taken alongline 33.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of the bag of FIG. 1 in which the bag hasbeen rotated about its longitudinal axis, showing a typical integralhanger means used herein.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, a sealed,collapsible, liquid-containing bag is generally designated at 10. Thebag comprises tubular body 12, made of flexible plastic, and sealed atend 14. At the same end, hanger 16 is formed integral with body 12,being connected thereto by narrow connecting neck 18, which is ofsubstantially less width than hanger 16, as shown in FIG. 4. Hanger 16is attached to body 12 at a single station or point of attachment. Theadvantage of this is that while bag 10 is suspended from hanger l6 andliquid is withdrawn from the bag, the collapse of the bag isfacilitated, since the portion of the bag adjacent end 14 can collapseinto a generally conical configuration with a single apex located atjunction 20 of neck 18 and end 14. Thus the walls of tubular body 12 arebrought closer together as liquid is removed from the bag than in thesituation where a hanging means is connected to a bag at two stations,as in the case of a U-shaped hanging means.

At its other end, tubular body 12 narrows to an integral tubular neck22, which, in turn, is integral with head portion 24. Head portion 24 isclosed to seal bag 10. Thus the liquid contents 26 of the bag arecompletely sealed by an integral wall of plastic.

FIG. 2 shows how the bag of this invention is constructed to maintain anoval cross section while filled with liquid contents. However, the bagis not self-supporting, and collapses into a limp, generally flatconfiguration when not positively held in its expanded, ovalconfiguration by the liquid contents. This oval configurationfacilitates the collapse of the bag to a generally flat configuration,and permits more of the liquid contents thereof to flow by gravity outof the bag without mechanical assistance.

FIG. 3 shows tubular recesses 26 which are formed in head portion 24;and which are of sufficient length and width to receive and hold aneedle or the like for puncturing the bag to obtain the liquid contents.Each recess 26 can be of any crosssectional shape desired, although theparticular recesses shown are circular in cross section. Recesses 26 areformed having bottom wall 28, which is punctured by the needle as itpasses into the container. Preferably, a beveled needle having an offcenter point is used. The needle is inserted into recess 26 breakingthrough bottom wall 28 at periphery 29 with ease, peeling bottom wall 28away about periphery 29 as the needle advances.

Each recess 26 may contain a tubular sleeve 30 which serves as a guidefor the needle for rupturing bottom wall 28 and obtaining the liquidcontents of bag 10. The sleeve can be inserted into recess 26 and gluedinto place after bag 10 has been filled and sealed. The bore of sleeve30 is preferably proportioned so that the needle used to obtain theliquid contents fits in tight sliding relation thereto, to preventleakage of the liquid contents when bag 10 is inverted for removingliquid.

When recesses 26 and sleeves 30 are to be maintained in sterilecondition, a conventional seal such as a rubber cap (not shown) can beplaced over each sleeve 30. Typically, two sleeves 30 and recesses 26are present to provide one means of access into the bag for removing theliquid contents thereof and another means of access into the bag to addmedicaments as needed to the liquid contents thereof, or to connectseveral bags in series so that a larger amount of liquid can be providedin one administration to the patient.

It can be seen that the means of access of the bag of this inventionsimply requires passing a needle through the bore ofa sleeve 30 untilbottom wall 28 is ruptured. Prior to that, the interior of bag remainssterile, since it is completely sealed from the exterior. After entry ofa sterile needle which fits tightly within sleeve 30, the bag is stillessentially sealed so that contaminants are unlikely to enter therein.

The tubular recesses described herein can also be used on plastic bagsof circular and other nonoval cross sections, as well as with othermeans for hanging the bags.

As shown in FIG. 1, the portion of bag 10 near head portion 24 has agenerally conical configuration created by a gradual reduction of thetransverse dimensions of the bag in the direction of head portion 24.This prevents the lower portion of the filled and inverted bag frombulging excessively outward by stretching due to the weight of theliquid contents. Such stretching can result in the formation ofundesirable shoulder pockets in the wall about neck 18, containingtrapped liquid contents.

The wall of bag 10 is not necessarily of uniform thickness. For example,when bag 10 of oval cross section is formed from a parison of uniformwall thickness, the portions of the wall near the ends of the oval maybe thinner than the portions of the wall near the sides of the oval.

What we claim is:

1. A sealed, collapsible bag containing a liquid, which bag comprises: atubular body of flexible plastic, said tubular body being sealed at oneend and narrowing at the other end to a head portion integral with saidtubular body for sealing said bag, and a tubular recess at one end ofsaid collapsible bag, said tubular recess being defined by a tubularsidewall of essentially uniform transverse dimension and a bottom wall,said walls being integral with the remaining material of said bag, saidrecess containing a tubular sleeve for receiving and holding means forpuncturing the bag to obtain said liquid.

2. The collapsible bag of claim 1 in which said recess is located insaid head portion.

3. The collapsible bag of claim 2 in which said tubular body is oval incross section, said bag having integral hanger means at the end of saidbody opposite said head, said hanger means being attached to the body ata single station by a connecting neck which is of less width than thehanger means, to facilitate collapse of the bag while hanging by saidmeans as liquid is withdrawn from the bag.

4. The collapsible bag of claim 2 in which a plurality of tubularrecesses are defined in said head portion, each recess containing atubular sleeve.

5. The collapsible bag of claim 4, in which the transverse dimension ofsaid bag is progressively reduced in the direction of said head portionto define a generally conical configuratron.

6. In a sealed, collapsible bag containing a liquid, a tubular recess,said tubular recess being defined by a tubular sidewall of essentiallyuniform transverse dimension and a bottom wall, said walls beingintegral with the remaining material of said bag, said recess containinga tubular sleeve for receiving and holding means for puncturing the bagto obtain said liquid.

1. A sealed, collapsible bag containing a liquid, which bag comprises: atubular body of flexible plastic, said tubular body being sealed at oneend and narrowing at the other end to a head portion integral with saidtubular body for sealing said bag, and a tubular recess at one end ofsaid collapsible bag, said tubular recess being defined by a tubularsidewall of essentially uniform transverse dimension and a bottom wall,said walls being integral with the remaining material of said bag, saidrecess containing a tubular sleeve for receiving and holding means forpuncturing the bag to obtain said liquid.
 2. The collapsible bag ofclaim 1 in which said recess is located in said head portion.
 3. Thecollapsible bag of claim 2 in which said tubular body is oval in crosssection, said bag having integral hanger means at the end of said bodyopposite said head, said hanger means being attached to the body at asingle station by a connecting neck which is of less width than thehanger means, to facilitate collapse of the bag while hanging by saidmeans as liquid is withdrawn from the bag.
 4. The colLapsible bag ofclaim 2 in which a plurality of tubular recesses are defined in saidhead portion, each recess containing a tubular sleeve.
 5. Thecollapsible bag of claim 4, in which the transverse dimension of saidbag is progressively reduced in the direction of said head portion todefine a generally conical configuration.
 6. In a sealed, collapsiblebag containing a liquid, a tubular recess, said tubular recess beingdefined by a tubular sidewall of essentially uniform transversedimension and a bottom wall, said walls being integral with theremaining material of said bag, said recess containing a tubular sleevefor receiving and holding means for puncturing the bag to obtain saidliquid.